For Pocono vet with 42 medals, today is another honor

There isn't enough room on John Howard's shirt or jacket for him to display the 42 medals, including the Bronze Star, he earned serving in the Korean War and three tours during the Vietnam conflict.

WAYNE WITKOWSKI

There isn't enough room on John Howard's shirt or jacket for him to display the 42 medals, including the Bronze Star, he earned serving in the Korean War and three tours during the Vietnam conflict.

But Howard will be widely acknowledged for his service today while leading the Veterans Day parade on Main Street in Stroudsburg as its grand marshal.

"I feel this is very much of an honor," said Howard, who retired from the military in 1977 as a chief warrant officer 3, equivalent to a major's rank, as an elite electronics specialist in satellite communications. "Every time I served, I was in a combat zone. It was more than most World War II veterans."

A glimpse in his home in Albrightsville shows an array of memories from his years of service.

"His home is like a museum," said Paul Warman, former chapter commander of the Korean War veterans chapter who currently is secretary.

Howard, who served as grand marshal of the Memorial Day parade two years ago, shares his experiences with his war buddies at the Korean War Veterans Association Chapter 109 headquartered at the American Legion Post 927 in Brodheadsville.

And when he talks about Korea, he knows the battle sites and other locations there as well as any college history professor.

He served in Korea in 1952 in the 45th Infantry Division 279 Regimental Combat Team as a sergeant on the east coast, which included Pork Chop Hill and Mount Baldy, in some fierce firefights and heavy mortar conflict.

He said when China got involved helping the North Korean forces, it slowed the American military's progress.

Howard has gone back to Korea to revisit the places where he served.

"I was there in June of 2011 and where the trenches were, there are concrete walkways at Inchon and Seoul (South Korea) near the front lines," Howard said. "There's one small detachment of Americans there now. They're liked by the Koreans. I saw that. If you say you were a soldier, they shake your hand and thank you. They know what we did there, and they teach their kids that in history classes in their schools."

Howard also served three tours in Vietnam in 1962-63, 1965 and then 1968-69, the latter in the 9th Infantry Division and moving up from staff sergeant for the first two tours to chief warrant officer 2, equivalent to captain.

"In Vietnam, there were very few places that you could call safe," Howard said, referring to the villages where soldiers would spend their time away from combat.

In Vietnam, he served in Pleku up country in the first tour of duty and then in Bong Tam off the Mekong River and Nahtrang, a resort area. He continued to serve stateside as chief warrant officer 2, and in 1977 he retired from the military's satellite communications.

Amid some public outcry that the Korea and Vietnam wars did not achieve a successful end, Howard has different feelings.

"People say that to me: 'Two wars that we hadn't won,' but in the case of the Korean War, we won that one," Howard said. "Our equipment was better (than in World War II) and we protected the South Koreans. We stopped them (North Koreans) and kept them behind the 38th parallel and pushed them back before the Chinese came across the Yalu River. But we did the right thing at the right time."

Like many Vietnam veterans who served during that era, Howard regrets the American public's ill will that greeted them when they returned and the condemnation they faced for atrocities that took place there.

"We went for the right reasons and didn't do it the right way," Howard said.

He said he agrees with the opinions of some analysts that the current military can be downsized because of today's sophisticated technology. But it's a different time from when Howard served in Vietnam.

"Back then, we had the draft, and now we have a professional army," he said. "I feel for them. Some are going six or seven times to Iraq. It's nothing for them to do two or three tours."

But Howard certainly made the most of his time served. His medals are proof of that.